Allies Epilogue
by tielan
Summary: In the face of despair, the fight must go on. [Alternate ending for 2.20 Allies]


**NOTES**: Written before 3.01 'No Man's Land' came out. What I would have liked to see on the show, but was obviously not going to get.**  
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**Allies Epilogue **

Teyla had not expected to be included in the group headed for Earth to intercept the Hive ship.

If her thoughts were with her team-mates – living or dead – she expected that she would be left in Atlantis to deal with the city and its inhabitants. It would not be the first time.

Somewhere inside, she could already feel the hollow ache with the loss of her friends. That which the Wraith took was rarely returned; she and her friends had escaped twice before, a third time was unlikely.

She would mourn them in time; when there was time to mourn as there presently was not.

"Teyla will be coming, of course." Colonel Caldwell's words interrupted her reverie, and she looked up from the table top, astonished.

All eyes were upon her and she took a moment to regain her poise. "I...thought that I would be required here. Will not Dr. Weir--?"

Colonel Caldwell's assumption was not a little surprising. While she was accustomed to the extent of Colonel Sheppard's trust, and the respect of the marines and personnel within Atlantis, such wholehearted confidence from the commander of the Daedelus surprised her not a little.

Dr. Weir shook her head. "I'll be staying," she said. "Dr. Zelenka has informed his divison about what the Wraith might left behind in our systems." Her pretty features set hard. "And someone has to deal with the fallout here. We don't know what else Michael's hive might have done to Atlantis in the meantime."

It seemed Dr. Weir also felt guilt for allowing this to happen.

Teyla looked from the expedition leader to Colonel Caldwell, trying to follow the thoughts of these people – like unfamiliar game trails in the forest. "I am to be an embassage from Atlantis?"

"From Pegasus," the Colonel said in his deep voice. "You know the city and the expedition, and you know the Wraith." A slight smile touched the heavy features. "Besides, Dr. Weir says you've never been to Earth."

She did not think her lack of experience of Earth was significant, given all else at stake. "Will they listen?" As it was, in Atlantis, Teyla doubted that there were many people who listened to what she said. Colonel Sheppard was one of the exceptions rather than the rule - and even that was subject to his own stubborn opinions. She did not imagine that Earth's leaders would be that much different.

"You're an ally, Teyla," Dr.Weir pointed out. "They'll listen. I've sent through a message already - the SGC is warned, and General Landry is aware of the threat, and General O'Neill with him."

"How much they'll hear is another thing," Colonel Caldwell said, shifting in his chair. "Which is where I come in."

Teyla nodded, appreciating the faith the Colonel placed in her, and comprehending a little of the undercurrents that rippled beneath the surface. A fresh face, unfamiliar and ingenuous, might gain Atlantis an advantage, where Dr. Weir's reputation on Earth would cause opponents familiar with her to be more wary.

"And I, also, will be returning." Dr. Zelenka piped up. "While the Wraith worm has destroyed all the data they sent down, we still have a copy of the code they gave us."

His news was unexpected. Heads turned and eyes widened.

"But if the worm destroyed it all...?" Dr Weir began.

The scientist waved a hand at her. "It only destroyed what was on our computers," he said. "One of the scientists has a hardcopy of their code."

There was a moment of bewildered silence. "A print-out," Dr Zelenka clarified, slightly impatient, "of the Wraith shield codes they gave us so we could infect them."

Teyla was the first to speak. "We have their shield codes still?" Around the table, the Atlanteans began to stir, understanding beginning to dawn upon them.

Dr. Zelenka's nod of the head was emphatic. "Yes! One of the assistants printed it out by accident. We are still in possession of the printout and I have set my department to scan it all in on a series of computers that have been physically disconnected from the Atlantis network.." He glanced at Dr. Weir. "I am sorry that I did not tell you this before, but it only recently came to light and there is no time."

"It's okay, Radek," Dr. Weir said.

Dr. Beckett frowned. "Forgive me for stating the obvious, but wouldn't it erase itself again?"

"It is unlikely," said Dr. Zelenka. "The code was layered in when they downloaded it to us. Merely scanning the protocols in will not produce the same virus. But my department is checking the code as they go - it is possible that some parts may be set up to interact with others in the final configuration.

"And from those codes we can recreate Rodney's jamming frequencies?" Teyla asked.

"They wouldn't have changed them?" Colonel Caldwell was tense with a fighter's anticipation. He was older, trained differently to Ronon, with the years of experience that her team-mate had not yet gained; yet at that moment, Teyla saw a resemblance - in the way the older man sat up, a pack beast who'd scented prey.

Dr. Zelenka shook his head. "They went to the trouble of deleting them from our systems. That suggests that it will still be of use to us."

Dr. Weir looked to Dr. Beckett. "Do we have any of the retrovirus left?"

"Aye, we've got retrovirus," said the doctor. "But, Elizabeth--"

"I know," she said, and in her voice there was a note of desperation. "But what choice do we have?"

The question hung in the air, as did the answer. There was no choice.

Teyla had never been to Earth; her ties to it were entirely through the people in this room and two of her team-mates. But these people were her allies, she was bound to help them and their people as they had helped her and hers in times of need.

"Is there a system in place on Earth that will enable such delivery?" Teyla asked. "The retrovirus was to be placed on the hive ship using the Daedelus ring system..."

"There'll be at least one ship capable of it," said Colonel Caldwell. "And if no ships are, then we'll think of other ways to get it there. We've come a long way in the last three years." He glanced up at the Atlantis expedition leader. "Dr. Weir?"

Her eyes were locked with Dr. Beckett's, and it was a long moment before she turned.

Teyla caught the other woman's gaze for a bare second, and in that brief meeting of eyes, sensed rather than knew the regrets Dr. Weir held.

Then the expedition leader turned to Colonel Caldwell. "Do it."

- **fin **-


End file.
